TIMEPIECES/BECOMING BOND: Would James Bond really wear an Omega Seamaster?

If you were James Bond, would you wear the Omega Seamaster? Image from http://www.omegawatches.com/ambassadors/james-bond.

There’s something that doesn’t sit right with us when we think about James Bond.

It’s his timepiece.

Don’t get us wrong, the Omega Seamaster is a beautiful watch that can be worn for casual occassions, formal settings and during the occassional night time free dive to access your enemy’s multi-million dollar yacht.

Based on those four bulletpoints alone, maybe it does make sense he would select the Omega Seamaster as his watch of choice.

It’s a no-nonsense, classic watch that works in all kinds of situations – from the deserts of Afghanistan to the casino in Monte Carlo. The design is subtle, very masculine and built to endure the harshest conditions.

So in retrospect, we changed our mind. It’s the perfect choice (if you were actually James Bond).

What makes it even better? Within the realm of fine timepieces, the Omega Seamaster satisfies those with a penchant for horology who exist on the lower end of the pay scale.

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8 Responses to “TIMEPIECES/BECOMING BOND: Would James Bond really wear an Omega Seamaster?”

Experts concur that “James Bond” was more commando than seaman, notwithstanding the military branch with which he’d been attached before becoming a Double-O. Yes, he needed a watch that would equally serve him in casino or combat; but he’d hardly have worn his resume on his wrist, as current timekeeping choices suggest.

Further to this point, James Bond creator Ian Fleming himself wore a modest 36mm Rolex Explorer and specified this model as personal choice of Agent 007 in his books. This was the subject of a feature article 3 years ago this month in WatchTime:

The original visionaries at Eon Productions knew this as well. For Sean Connery’s very first, character-establishing introduction as James Bond at the casino table in Dr No, they had him wear a Rolex Precision: Gold case, white dial, dress watch.

Also see Mr Fleming in this linked photo, wearing his Rolex Explorer wristwatch, on the set of the movie Goldfinger, with Mr Connery:

And thus having ventured out onto the ice here, I’d like to offer that we consider things even thinner. Watch-wise, that is.

Now entering the 60th year of “James Bond” (the first decade having been carried solo by Ian Fleming and his books, laying the solid groundwork from which the Eon Productions movies gained tremendously when they got involved), I think the real “50th Anniversary” opportunity for Omega is in the support it could provide in putting the “gentleman” back into “Gentleman Agent.”

We haven’t seen that 1960s “cool” on-screen in at least a decade. Suave. Sophisticated.

I’ve argued previously that Omega could easily provide this today with something from its De Ville line. Tie in to actor Daniel Craig’s personal interest in the line via his charity interests. But thinner; and gold.

A Rolex Sea Dweller for me if I was ‘Bond’, the Deep Sea Sea Dweller (DSSD) is too big. The new Omegas are a bit too blingy (Planet Ocean etc), the Speedmaster Pro is a beauty but not properly water proof for someone who ends up in water a lot! AP/Hublot too blingy for an all rounder and not as bomb proof as the Sea Dweller.

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